April 7, 2006
FULLERTON, Calif. - UC Davis posted a dramatic 4-3 victory over host Cal State Fullerton Friday afternoon. After dropping the doubles point, the Aggies came back with four victories in singles. Both Ally Muller and Nancy Mok fought off first set defeats to post victories in three sets. Mok, who posted the clinching victory, fought off three match points in the second set to help lead the Aggies to victory. The contest was the first of three straight for the Aggies in Southern California.
The first doubles match to finish was at No. 2 where Jenna Kappel and Mok defeated Chip Dunbar and Shelly Injejikian, 8-3. That would be the only win in doubles for UC Davis (4-13) as Cal State Fullerton (5-15) posted victories nearly simultaneously at No. 1 and No. 3 to take an early 1-0 lead.
The momentum would shift in singles as the Aggies quickly tied the match when Injejikian retired midway through the first set against Audrey Wingo at No. 4. The next match to finish was on court 6 where Yuka Otaka defeated Dunbar, 6-3, 6-1, to give UC Davis a 2-1 lead.
The Titans promptly tied the match when Mai-Ly Tran defeated Kappel, 7-5, 6-4, at No. 3. That knotted the contest at 2-2.
The final three matches to finish all went to a third set. The first of those to close out was at No. 1 where Muller shook off a setback in the first set and defeated Ruya Inalpulat, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3. That put UC Davis within one point of winning the match. The comeback was clinched at No. 5 where Mok was also in the process of winning despite dropping the first set, 6-2. Taking on Cheyenne Inglis, the UC Davis senior trailed 5-4 in the second set and was down three match points in the 10th game before coming back to win set two, 7-5. Mok then won the decisive third set, 6-3, to give UC Davis a clinching 4-2 lead. Gina Lee accounted for the Titans' final point with a victory at No. 2.
"I was proud our team," said UC Davis head coach Bill Maze. "The way we were able to battle back after losing the doubles point and come out with a win says a lot about the character of this team."
UC Davis next faces Long Beach State on Saturday and UC Riverside Sunday before returning to Davis.
UC Davis 4, Cal State Fullerton 3
Singles
1. Ally Muller (UCD) d. Ruya Inalpulat (CSF), 2-6, 6-2, 6-3.
2. Gina Le (CSF) d. Robin Guier (UCD), 7-5, 4-6, 6-3.
3. Mai-Ly Tran (CSF) d. Jenna Kappel (UCD), 7-5, 6-4.
4. Audrey Wingo (UCD) d. Shelly Injejikian (CSF), 2-1, ret.
5. Nancy Mok (UCD) d. Cheyenne Inglis (CSF), 2-6, 7-5, 6-3.
6. Yuka Otaka (UCD) d. Chip Dunbar (CSF), 6-3, 6-1.
Doubles
1. Inapulat/Le (CSF) d. Guier/Muller (UCD), 8-5.
2. Kappel/ Nancy Mok (UCD) d. Dunbar/Injejikian (CSF), 8-3.
3. Inglis/Tran (CSF) d. Shapiro/Wingo (UCD), 8-6.
